The present invention generally relates to procedure radiograph orientation devices and more particularly, to procedure radiograph orientation devices utilizing radiopaque fiducials and methods of use.
During various types of medical interventions, orthopedic surgery, and spine surgery, it is important to keep a portion of a patient's anatomy aligned and oriented in a particular way to optimally perform the intervention or surgery. Additionally, during various interventions and surgeries, it is often desired to adjust the alignment or orientation of a portion of a patient's anatomy. Example of medical interventions, orthopedic surgeries, and spine surgeries requiring proper alignment and orientation of a patient include, but are not limited to anterior spine operations, particularly lumbar and cervical discectomy and fusion or discectomy and arthroplasty (e.g. artificial discs). In many of these orthopedic operations, it is important to keep the curvature of the spine in a normal anatomical alignment or otherwise adjusted in a desired orientation. As spine interventions become more advanced, surgical and medical interventions are requiring a higher level of precision and accuracy in the placement and positioning of a patient's anatomy. Examples of certain types of cervical interventions are disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/643,536, titled “Intervertebral Disc Spacer,” the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference. Other types of medical interventions such as orthopedic knee replacement or certain types of back surgery require a precise alignment and orientation of a portion of a patient's anatomy.
Common practice in such interventions is to position or stabilize a patient's anatomy with rolled linens or fixed cushions. For example, rolled linens or fixed cushions are commonly used to bolster a patient's spine during certain types of intervertebral disc replacement surgeries. Rolled linens and cushions, however, lack the ability to be easily custom-adjusted to each patient's particular anatomy. Usually, the rolled linens and fixed cushions must be removed from under the patient's neck, adjusted, and reinserted to adjust the placement and orientation of the patient's spine. This method of adjustment is cumbersome and can cause further aggravation to a patient's condition. Additionally, this method of supporting a patient's anatomy is not conducive to making fine adjustments of the patient's position and orientation, such as the need to shift the patient's neck 1 mm upwards from the operating table.
In addition to providing support to a patient's spine anatomy, medical interventions and surgeries of the spine also require accurate and precise aiming of radiographic imaging devices such as fluoroscopes. Failure to accurately align a fluoroscope while obtaining radiographic images can result in imperfectly placed or misaligned spine implants, in addition to internal incisions slightly offset from the desired location. Conventional methods of aiming radiographic devices involve essentially “eyeballing” or estimating orientation based on visual cues to obtain the desired image. Physicians also use the patient's anatomy (e.g. the anatomy of the spine) to determine proper orientation of the radiographic imaging device. For example, the orientation of the anatomy of a patient's spine on a radiographic image can provide a physician with anatomical reference points for adjusting the patient's orientation for optimal cervical interventions. Often, however, a patient's anatomy is not perfectly symmetrical and this anatomical asymmetry results in slightly or in some instances, grossly misorienting or misaiming the radiographic imaging device. As medical interventions and surgeries become more advanced and sophisticated, the need for accurate and precise adjustments are increasing in importance. Therefore, reduced tolerances of error in positioning and orientating a patient's anatomy during orthopedic interventions are becoming more critical.
Thus, conventional methods of aligning radiographic imaging devices and conventional methods for stabilizing patients' spines are unsatisfactory for many types of medical and surgical interventions. Accordingly, it would be desirable to improve and/or replace conventional devices so as to address one or more disadvantages of the prior art.